Wires cut on Perth-bound plane

Malaysian police have launched an investigation into a severe security breach on a Perth-bound Malaysia Airlines plane that led to wires being cut in the cockpit in an apparent sabotage attempt.

An airline safety expert suggested the nature of the damage, which was indicative of vandalism and rendered the airliner incapable of take-off, indicated a cleaner or other unskilled worker might have been involved, rather a knowledgeable airline employee.

Engineers conducting standard pre-flight diagnostic checks at Kuala Lumpur International Airport late on Thursday evening discovered the wiring aboard the Airbus A330 which was to operate MH127 departing at 9.30pm for Kuching and Perth.

According to insiders at the airline, seven wire bundles were cut in the avionics bay, which houses the majority of the aircraft's computer and flight control systems, and is accessible from the flight deck.

The airline substituted another aircraft, which operated the flight to Perth without incident and with minimal delay.

The damaged aircraft had arrived earlier from Singapore, and police in Kuala Lumpur believe the sabotage was an inside job.

"I very much doubt that this damage was done by an airline employee, because they would know that any sabotage would be picked up by the pre-flight checks," said one airline safety expert who declined to be named.

"It is more likely the action of a contract worker, perhaps a cleaner, who has little knowledge of aircraft or their systems."

An Airbus spokesman said the A330 was one of the most sophisticated aircraft flying, with multiple back-up.

"Any fault, no matter how minor, would be detected by the aircraft's monitoring systems," he said.

The Airbus A330, which entered service in the early 1990s, has a good safety record.

Malaysia Airlines confirmed the incident yesterday. The company said in a statement that two hours before the flight's scheduled departure to Perth, engineers conducted a mandatory pre-flight check that showed a malfunction signal in the cockpit.

"There were some discrepancies in the aircraft's systems," said the carrier's corporate services senior general manager, Mohamaddon Abdullah.

"The matter is now in the capable hands of the police investigating team, with whom we are working very closely."

The incident is likely to lead to more rigorous screening of staff at Kuala Lumpur, which is considered one of the region's more secure airports.